Husband turns on wife, says she’s to blame for adopted daughter’s death

Larry and Carri Williams, convicted in the death of their adopted daughter Hana, will be sentenced this week. Photo from a Facebook tribute page to Hana Williams who was adopted from Ethiopia in 2008 and died hypothermia and chronic starvation in 2011.

A Sedro-Woolley couple will be sentenced this week for the death of their daughter adopted from Ethiopia, and the husband says his wife is to blame.

Larry and Carri Williams have both been convicted for the death of Hana Williams.

They are accused of making her live in a closet, denying her meals, forcing her to go the bathroom in a Port-a-Potty outside the house, and beating her.

The night she died, in May of 2011, she was found naked in her yard on a rainy night with temperatures in the low 40s.

She died of “hypothermia and chronic starvation caused by a parent’s intentional food restriction, severe neglect, physical and emotional abuse and stunning endangerment,” according to the coroner’s office.

Sentencing for the couple is set for Tuesday for Hana’s death and for abusing their adopted son, Immanuel.

Attorneys have already asked for a reduced sentence for Mr. Williams, and Friday they filed motions asking for a new trial because there “wasn’t enough proof to convict him.”

A sentencing memo The Skagit Valley Herald obtained states Larry Williams was driving home from work when he learned Hana had collapsed and didn’t know what was happening in his home.

“If Larry had been home that day, Hana would never have been outside in the rain in the first place,” his lawyers wrote. “If Larry had been home that day, Hana would not have died.”

Mrs. Williams was convicted of homicide by abuse. The jury deadlocked on the same charge against Mr. Williams. His attorney filed a motion Friday that would place the blame on his wife and allow him to get out of prison earlier.

Attorneys claim Mr. Williams was working at Boeing all day while most of the abuse happened.

During the trial, Carri Williams, a stay-at-home mom, testified that Larry knew everything that happened in the home and that together they decided on discipline for the children.

Mr. Williams faces 14 to 19 years in prison. His attorney has asked for a five-year sentence. With time served, he could be out in three years.